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Category: Black Collar Crime

Update: Black Collar Crime: United Methodist Pastor Dennis Laferty Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Gross Sexual Imposition

Bruce Gerencser 0 Comments
dennis laferty

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Earlier this year, Dennis Laferty, pastor of Thompson United Methodist Church in Thompson, Ohio, was accused of the sexual abuse of minors: five counts of sexual battery, one count of gross sexual imposition, and one count of sexual imposition. It is alleged that the church covered up Laferty’s crimes.

Cleveland.com reported:

The minister of a church in Geauga County has been arrested and is facing multiple criminal charges after he was accused of the sexual abuse of minors.

Dennis Laferty, 37, who is pastor at Thompson United Methodist Church in Thompson Township, is charged with five counts of sexual battery, all third-degree felonies, according to Geauga County Common Pleas Court records. He also is charged with one count of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, and one count of sexual imposition, a misdemeanor. A judge ordered he be held on a $100,000 bond.

Laferty was arrested Friday in Crawford County, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office says. If Laferty is convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of five years on each felony count.

A news release from the sheriff’s office says Laferty is accused of sexually abusing minors beginning in 2019 and continuing until January of this year. Investigators believe there might be more victims.

The Geauga County Maple Leaf added:

The seven-count indictment against Laferty states a county grand jury found between Nov. 30, 2019, and Jan. 30, 2023, Laferty engaged in various acts of sexual misconduct with one or more minors. Specifically, Laferty was charged with five counts of third-degree felony sexual battery, one count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition involving a person less than 13 years of age and one count of third-degree misdemeanor sexual imposition involving a person 13 years of age or older but less than 16 years old. The third degree felony counts in the indictment each carry a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison.

Laferty, a former staff sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, joined TUMC in July 2018 after serving three years as pastor at The United Methodist Church in Nevada, Ohio. He is married and has three daughters, according to his Facebook page.

On March 8, a former member of TUMC contacted the Geauga County Maple Leaf with information that Laferty was removed from his home on or about March 7 and was not allowed to have contact with his family. The person agreed to speak with the Maple Leaf on condition of anonymity.

“The Thompson Methodist Church is trying to cover this up, but the town’s people have a right to know,” the former member said. “The Thompson Police Department along with a few unmarked Chevy Tahoes were at his residence across from Dollar General. They came back later and confiscated some of his belongings.”

The former member was aware of at least one minor victim who is a member of TUMC and said one or more of the church leaders have known about other inappropriate behavior involving Laferty, but have covered it up for years.

“It has torn the church apart,” the former member said. “They don’t want anyone to know, especially the people of Thompson Township or the United Methodist Church District.”

Whether the leaders knew about the sexual battery allegations is unknown, the former member said.

Flaiz said as the investigation is still ongoing, he is unable to comment further on Laferty’s charges at this time.

“An indictment is only a probable cause finding by the grand jury,” his statement said. “A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the State’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation, but not authorized to speak publicly, told the Maple Leaf authorities learned of Laferty’s alleged sexual battery through a current TUMC member who was concerned with how the matter was being handled internally at the church.

In addition, the former member said Laferty has a criminal history and provided the Maple Leaf with a copy of a 2012 sentencing entry filed in the Richland County Court of Common Pleas. According to the entry, Laferty admitted to aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony. He was ordered to pay a $1,500 fine to the City of Mansfield Police Department and hand over a Kimber .45 semiautomatic handgun to the state of Ohio. He also was ordered to complete a mental health evaluation and treatment program.

The former member claims some church leaders knew of Laferty’s prior conviction but failed to inform the “majority of the hiring committee” before he was hired in July 2018.

In October 2018, Laferty paid to have the 2012 case record sealed so he could get a passport to go to Jerusalem, the former member said, which he did earlier this year, according to his Facebook page.

The Maple Leaf reached out to the lay leader and president of the church, Steve Roessner, for comment on Laferty’s hiring, current status with the TUMC and the criminal allegations. Roessner, who is a tax map manager in the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, did not respond to a text message requesting comment.

The Maple Leaf also reached out to board member Kirk Fowler for comment. Fowler also did not respond.

Thompson United Methodist administrative council released the following statement:

We have recently been made aware of very concerning allegations regarding Pastor Dennis Laferty. Please be aware that we are taking matters very seriously and allowing the appropriate authorities to take action. At this time, we ask that you pray for our church and community, and that answers may be brought in a just manner. Please know that we at Thompson United Methodist Church do not condone any form of harm to any person and we care for all our members. To ensure the protection of our congregation and community Dennis has been suspended as Pastor.

The Geauga Maple Leaf reported:

On March 8, a former member of TUMC contacted the Geauga County Maple Leaf with information that Laferty was removed from his home on or about March 7 and was not allowed to have contact with his family. The person agreed to speak with the Maple Leaf on condition of anonymity.

“The Thompson Methodist Church is trying to cover this up, but the town’s people have a right to know,” the former member said. “The Thompson Police Department along with a few unmarked Chevy Tahoes were at his residence across from Dollar General. They came back later and confiscated some of his belongings.”

The former member was aware of at least one minor victim who is a member of TUMC and said one or more of the church leaders have known about other inappropriate behavior involving Laferty, but have covered it up for years.

“It has torn the church apart,” the former member said. “They don’t want anyone to know, especially the people of Thompson Township or the United Methodist Church District.”

Whether the leaders knew about the sexual battery allegations is unknown, the former member said.

….

In addition, the former member said Laferty has a criminal history and provided the Maple Leaf with a copy of a 2012 sentencing entry filed in the Richland County Court of Common Pleas. According to the entry, Laferty admitted to aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony. He was ordered to pay a $1,500 fine to the City of Mansfield Police Department and hand over a Kimber .45 semiautomatic handgun to the state of Ohio. He also was ordered to complete a mental health evaluation and treatment program.

The former member claims some church leaders knew of Laferty’s prior conviction but failed to inform the “majority of the hiring committee” before he was hired in July 2018.

In October 2018, Laferty paid to have the 2012 case record sealed so he could get a passport to go to Jerusalem, the former member said, which he did earlier this year, according to his Facebook page.

The Maple Leaf reached out to the lay leader and president of the church, Steve Roessner, for comment on Laferty’s hiring, current status with the TUMC and the criminal allegations. Roessner, who is a tax map manager in the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, did not respond to a text message requesting comment.

The Maple Leaf also reached out to board member Kirk Fowler for comment. Fowler also did not respond.

On March 13, Geauga County Engineer Joe Cattell told the Maple Leaf that Roessner had been placed on paid administration leave pending an investigation into the matter. Cattell explained his office was investigating whether Roessner’s alleged actions or inactions violated any office policies or procedures.

In a March 11 Facebook post, the Thompson UMC Administrative Council stated Laferty has been suspended as pastor.

“We have recently been made aware of very concerning allegations regarding Pastor Dennis Laferty. Please be aware that we are taking matters very seriously and allowing the appropriate authorities to take action,” the council stated. “At this time, we ask that you pray for our church and community, and that answers may be brought in a just manner. Please know that we at Thompson United Methodist Church do not condone any form of harm to any person and we care for all our members.”

The council also stated that “to ensure the protection of our congregation and community”  Laferty has been suspended as pastor.

Nine years ago, the Mansfield News Journal wrote a feature story about Laferty, then the pastor of Adario United Methodist Church in Shiloh, Ohio:

Dennis Laferty, 29, admits he joined the Marine Corps to run away from his true vocation.

After 71/2 years, three tours in Iraq and various injuries, Laferty was honorably discharged for medical reasons.

Today, he is the senior pastor of the Adario United Methodist Church.

“I planned to stay in the Corps for 20 years and retire,” he said. “But you can’t run away from God.”

He admits he was still running away when he and his wife, Lisa, moved to Tiro in Crawford County after his discharge.

By habit, he and Lisa attended the United Methodist Church.

“But I was still angry. I had no idea what it was like to be a civilian,” he said. “But a lot of love from a lot of people helped.”

But, Pastor Laferty said, church members such as Elvon Pry “took me under their wings.”

The running was over.

Laferty obtained a degree in criminal justice from North Central State College and looks forward to earning a master’s degree in divinity soon.

After some training, he was assigned to the United Methodist Church in Adario. He and Lisa found a small, comfortable home just down the road from the church.

He is a licensed local pastor who can serve communion, perform marriages and funeral services, as well as conduct baptisms and Sunday services.

He has come a long way from the Marine “gym rat” who served in Iraq three times too many.

A native of Mansfield, Laftery attended the local United Methodist church.

“I knew by the sixth grade that the church was where I belonged. But I didn’t want it,” he said.

He met Lisa at Mansfield Senior High School, and the two were married in between his junior and senior years.

They have three children — Jessica, 9; Abigail, 6; and Rebecca, 2 — plus a friendly dog named Alice.

Laferty joined the Corps right out of high school and was trained in logistics. But every time he went to Iraq, he was on the road with the infantry.

Halfway through his third tour, his vehicle was blown up by a mine.

“The engine was blown almost 500 feet away,” he said.

But of the six men on board, only he was seriously injured — with a concussion and broken ribs.

His real problem was a bone cyst in his right arm. Four operations failed to eliminate it, and he was discharged with disability.

He went from a muscular gym rat to a smaller size.

He also had to face reality. The running was over. God, as he said, was calling.

He doesn’t lift weights any more, but he hopes to lift hearts.

“I was appointed to Adario last July. I needed a new ballgame, and I’ve loved every minute of this.”

His congregation has 71 members, and many are elderly. He knows them all.

This is a busy church with several activities, including free meals for people who need them.

His sermons are taken from a few notes he marks down in his small home office.

“I’m no theologian,” Laftery said.

He takes off from there, hoping to reach the members of his congregation.

While his home office is filled with books on theology and the Bible, a Marine Corps sword sits prominently on a table.

Laferty is a man of God, but always a Marine.

On Wednesday, Laferty pleaded guilty to two counts of gross sexual imposition. He could face up to ten years in prison.

Fox-8 reports:

A Geauga County pastor has pleaded guilty to sex crimes relating to the abuse of minors.

Under a plea agreement reached Wednesday, Dennis W. Laferty, 37, of Tiro, in Crawford County, could face up to 10 years in prison on the two felony counts of gross sexual imposition to which he pleaded Wednesday, as well as two months in jail on a misdemeanor count of sexual imposition.

He could also be subject to five years of probation upon release and be made to register as a tier II sex offender.

Attorneys have not agreed on a sentence.

Laferty was indicted in March on seven total counts, including five felony counts of sexual battery, one of which was amended to a gross sexual imposition charge in his plea agreement. The other charges were dismissed.

He was released a week after his indictment, after posting 10% of the $100,000 bond ordered in the case.

The offenses to which Laferty pleaded happened between November 2019 and January 2023 in Geauga County, according to his indictment.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Danny Prenell, Jr. Shoots His Wife in the Presence of His Children

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pastor danny prenell jr

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Danny Prenell, Jr., pastor of Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Pineville, Mississippi, shot his wife in the presence of his children at a Hampton Hotel and then tried to kill himself.

The Enterprise-Journal reports:

A Louisiana pastor and his wife have been identified in a shooting that took place on the first floor of the Hampton Inn and Suites in McComb Wednesday afternoon.

According to WJTV, police identified the couple as 25-year-old Danny Prenell, Jr., and 27-year-old Gabrielle Prenell. Both are in a Jackson hospital with gunshot wounds.

A Jackson TV station quoted McComb police as saying Danny Prenell, who is the pastor of Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Pineville, allegedly shot his wife two times and then shot himself around 3: 30 p.m

Both were airlifted from Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Further information was not available.

After the shooting, McComb police blocked off the hallway on the first floor, where what looks like blood, towels, and a pillow could be seen on the floor by the elevators.

The couple’s children have been placed in state custody.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Update: Black Collar Crime: Jamie Flanery Sexually Assaults Church Teen, Says She Asked for It

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arrested

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Jamie Flanery, a member of an unnamed Christian church in Arkansas, stands accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old church girl.

K8 reports:

A Randolph County man was arrested after sheriff’s office investigators said he sexually assaulted a teen several years ago.

According to a probable cause affidavit, on February 28, 2023, the victim told the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office that when she was around 15-years-old, she was sexually assaulted and abused by Jamie Flanery.

A bench warrant said the incident happened around August 2012.

The victim stated that she and Flanery attended the same church and the abuse began with Flanery requesting sexually explicit photos of the victim.

The victim said several members of the church’s “youth group” were at Flanery’s house one night. When she went outside to get something, the victim said Flannery grabbed her and kissed her.

The victim then told deputies about another incident while she was leaving Flanery’s house late one night.

As she was driving, she said she received a text from Flanery asking her to pull over at a on Highway 62. The victim said after she pulled over, Flanery got into her car and began to sexually assault her.

The victim said she later texted Flanery’s wife and a Randolph County area pastor, Gary Moore, about the assault.

According to the affidavit, the sheriff’s office conducted an interview with Moore about the allegations.

Moore told investigators that Flanery initally had admitted to kissing the victim.

Moore said he later reached out to Flanery, again, telling him to “swear on the word of God” and asked him if he did what the victim accused him of doing.

According to the affidavit, Moore said Flanery then told him “yes I did, but I didn’t do anything to her that she didn’t ask or she wasn’t ok with.”

On June 6, a judge found probable cause to arrest Flanery.

He faces a felony charge of first-degree sexual assault.

What I want to know is whether Pastor Moore immediately called the police upon hearing about the alleged sexual assault. Further, this assault allegedly took place in 2012. Was Flanery active in one or more local churches since the assault? Lots of unanswered questions.

Update:

In 2004, Flanery’s father, Donald, was convicted of raping a child and sentenced to thirty-five years in prison. Donald Flanery was an Evangelical pastor.

The Associated Press reported at the time:

A former pastor was sentenced to 35 years in prison for raping a young girl who said the man had told her that God approved of their sexual relationship.

A jury convicted Donald Lee Flanery, 46, on Friday, and recommended the sentence that Circuit Judge Harold Irwin imposed later that day in Randolph County, in northeastern Arkansas.

Prosecutors said Flanery, of Ravenden Springs, assaulted the Maynard girl nearly three dozen times, beginning when she was 11 and ending when she was 13.

At the time of the incidents, Flanery was the pastor of a non-denominational church known as The Family of Christ. Documents filed in the case said the assaults occurred at the church, his residence behind the church and at a new home he was building.

The girl told investigators that Flanery had told her that God approved of a man having more than one woman, despite her age.

“It was biblical,″ she said.

She also told police that Flanery was a religious man “who would go through bouts of apology,″ according to investigators.

Sheriff Brent Earley said members of Flanery’s church protested the verdict and pointed fingers at prosecution witnesses.

“They stood up and approached the witnesses and some said, `You’re going to pay for this,″ Earley said. Deputies were summoned to help with security.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Black Collar Crime: God’s Missionary Church Pastor Marvin Mosely Accused of Sexually Assaulting Three Minor Girls

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The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Marvin Mosely, the former pastor of God’s Missionary Church in Penns Creek, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, stands accused of sexually molesting three minor girls over a fifteen-year period. Mosely was also a pastor at several United Methodist congregations.

Yahoo News reports:

The former pastor of a church in Andreas was jailed Wednesday after being charged by West Penn Twp. police with indecent assault involving three juvenile girls between 2007 and 2012.

Marvin Leroy Mosley, 43, of 101 College Ave., Milroy, Mifflin County, was arraigned on two felony counts each of indecent assault of a person under the age of 13 and corruption of minors where the defendant is age 18 or above, and two misdemeanor counts of a person under the age of 16.

Mosley was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Andrew Serina, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $100,000 straight cash bail.

Serina said Mosley is no longer a pastor at the United Methodist Church in West Penn Twp., but at the time of his arrest was serving at a church outside of Schuylkill County.

In paperwork filed with the court, Police Chief James Bonner said the charges stem from incidents that came to light on April 27 when a 26-year-old woman reported being sexually abused by “Pastor Marvin Mosley” from the time she was about 7 until she was about 15.

The woman said she knew Mosley from around 2003 when her parents became involved in God’s Missionary Church in Penns Creek. The woman said Mosley graduated from Penns View Bible Institute and was assigned to their church in 2003.

At one point in 2007, the woman said Mosley touched her inappropriately by putting his hands up under her dress.

Bonner said the woman also reported that two other girls relayed stories that they were assaulted by Mosley.

One was interviewed and reported Mosley having inappropriate contact with her starting when she was about 10.

On May 8, Bonner said, Mosley was interviewed and admitted touching the woman who reported the incident and said it began when he was about 28 and married. He also admitted touching the other two girls, Bonner said.

Bonner said Mosley said he had been married for about seven years at the time and did not know what sex was, adding he was “lost and unfulfilled.”

The chief said Mosley reported he had been touching the girls for a time span of 15 years and would go from one “to another.”

Bonner said Mosley said he would become sexually aroused when the girls walked into the room and that he did not think anything was wrong by touching them.

The defendant said he would cooperate with the investigation so the victims can get closure.

PA Home Page adds:

Court documents state the incident began with gestures such as Mosley pulling hair and tickling, and then led to him exposing and touching their private areas.

The affidavit says Mosley would often take the girls on four-wheeler rides in the woods where he would hug them and press his body against theirs.

Police say during an interview with Mosley, he admitted he did sexually assault the three victims for 15 years, switching from one girl to the other.

In the criminal complaint, Mosley told police when he was around the girls he felt a chemistry that he enjoyed and he was “too free with his hands”.

Mosley says he was starving for sex and he would get aroused when they would walk in the room and while playing with them, police say.

Mosley has been charged with indecent assault on a person less than 13 years of age, indecent assault on a person less than 16 years of age, and corruption of minors.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Black Collar Crime: Derek Taplin Accused of Sexually Assaulting Teen Boys Under His Care at Prairie College

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The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Derek Taplin, an Evangelical man who attended Prairie College (formerly Prairie Bible Institute) in Canada, stands accused of sexually assaulting teen boys under his care while he was a student.

The Calgary Herald reports:

A one-time student union president at a central Alberta Bible college has been charged with multiple sexual assaults at the school, alleged crimes dating back two decades.

Acting on a Canada-wide warrant, Winnipeg police on Tuesday arrested Derek Taplin, 43, who has been charged with sexually assaulting younger non-college students under his guidance while the accused attended Prairie College in Three Hills from 2002 to 2004.

At the time he attended the college, he was also a youth group leader, said RCMP.

“He was in charge of youth groups . . . (the alleged assaults happened) in all those scenarios,” said Sgt. Jamie Day of the Three Hills RCMP detachment.

On June 10, 2021, a man came forward to report he’d been sexually assaulted by Taplin when the accused attended the college in the town 134 kilometres northeast of Calgary, said Day.

Soon after that, three other men reported similar crimes, said the Mountie, adding it’s possible there are other unknown victims of Taplin.

“If someone’s out there, struggling and wants to tell their story, we’re here to help them,” said Day.

Day said some of the assaults occurred on the campus of the college, whose website says its educational programs are “all soaked — not sprinkled — with the Bible.”

“There were multiple assaults on each (victim),” Day said.

“They could have also happened in private settings, it didn’t have to happen on a (college) outing.”

Taplin was not employed by the college at the time of the alleged assaults, said RCMP.

All the victims at the time were classified as youths, he said, and one source said they were junior high students and not college attendees.

The accused was a student at the college from 2001 to 2004 and was president of the student union until he was banished from the role “because he wasn’t a model citizen but it had nothing to do with these alleged sexual assaults,” said college President Mark Maxwell.

….

The complexity, logistics and age of the alleged crimes explains why charges were laid nearly two years after the first complaint, said Day. Some of the victims and witnesses no longer live in Alberta “and we’ve had to confirm a lot of information and a lot of background,” he said.

Taplin is charged with four counts each of sexual exploitation of a young person, sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

He’s in the process of being returned to Alberta, said RCMP, where he’ll make a yet-to-be scheduled court appearance in a venue with close proximity to Three Hills.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Update: Black Collar Crime: Methodist Pastor Anthony Morris Convicted of Assault, Given Probation

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pastor anthony morris

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

In 2018, Anthony Morris, pastor of St. Paul’s AME Zion Church in Toledo, Ohio, along with his wife (Zelda) and daughter (Kamali), were charged with aggravated robbery.

The Toledo Blade reported:

A downtown Toledo pastor and his family are accused of robbing a Sunday school teacher at the church over the weekend.

St. Paul’s AME Zion Church Pastor Anthony Morris, 49, along with his wife, Zelda Morris, 46, and 19-year-old daughter Kamali Morris, are each charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony.

Nickema Turner, 39, of Maumee was teaching Sunday school at the church, 954 Belmont Ave., when the younger woman grabbed her by the hair, according to a Toledo police report.

Mrs. Morris then began punching Ms. Turner, police said. The pastor also pushed Ms. Turner to the ground, according to the police report.

During the assault, Mrs. Morris is accused of dumping items from Ms. Turner’s purse and taking them.

Ms. Turner attempted to recover her belongings when Mr. Morris allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at her, police said. The woman told police the pastor threatened to kill her.

Two prescription bottles, a Taser, and a cell phone were taken from Ms. Turner’s purse, according to the police report. The cell phone was recovered, but the glass was broken.

The Morris family, who reside in the 3000 block of Evergreen Road, fled the church before police arrived. The couple have been arrested, though the daughter has yet to be located, according to Toledo police.

According to The Christian Post, the charges against the trio were reduced. Anthony Morris was sentenced for assault; his wife, Zelda Morris was sentenced for criminal damaging/endangering, and their daughter, Kamali Morris was sentenced for disorderly conduct. Pastor Morris was given one-year probation. The other two were sentenced to a diversion program.

The Christian Post reported:

An Ohio pastor, his wife and daughter who were initially accused of robbing a Sunday school teacher and then fleeing their church minutes before the start of a worship service in February, were all sentenced Monday as it was revealed that the incident was triggered by an affair.

Pastor Anthony Morris, 49, of St. Paul’s AME Zion Church in Toledo, was sentenced for assault; his wife, Zelda Morris, 46, was sentenced for criminal damaging/endangering, and their daughter, Kamali Morris, 19, was sentenced for disorderly conduct, according to The Blade.

“I’m just sorry for my involvement, but the truth is out there,” Kamali Morris said, according to WTOL 11. “It came to surface, and I just thank God for that. That’s all I have to say.”

When the case was first reported in February, the Sunday school teacher, Nickema Turner, 39, of Maumee, who did not appear in court on Monday, reported the incident as a robbery during which the pastor’s daughter grabbed her by the hair as she taught Sunday school at the church. The pastor allegedly pushed Turner to the ground as his wife punched her. Zelda Morris was also accused of dumping items from Turner’s purse and taking them.

When Turner attempted to recover her belongings, Pastor Morris, with whom she’d had an affair, allegedly pulled out a gun, pointed it at her and threatened to kill her.

On Monday, Toledo Municipal Court Judge Amy Berling sentenced the pastor to one year of probation and ordered him to have no contact with Turner, The Blade said. His wife and daughter were each sentenced to six-week alternative programs.

Ronnie Wingate, a lawyer for both Zelda Morris and her daughter, revealed in a new narrative Monday that days before the church incident his client began receiving taunting text messages about her husband’s affair.

One of the first messages stated: “Your husband is having an affair with a member of the church.” The pastor’s wife was further called “stupid” for being in the dark about her husband’s infidelity.

The pastor’s attorney, Neil McElroy, told the court that Zelda Morris confronted her husband, and he “confessed and discussed the matter with his wife.”

On Feb. 18, the lawyers revealed, Zelda Morris and her daughter went to the basement of the church where Turner was teaching and a confrontation erupted.

“An argument ensued and the alleged victim became aggressive. At this point Ms. Kamali Morris stepped in to defend and prevent her mother from being assaulted by this complainant. A fight ensued,” Wingate said.

Members of the congregation rushed to the basement to break up the fight between the women. Wingate said once the fight ended, the pastor and his family tried to leave, but as they were walking to the door, Turner allegedly grabbed a metal instrument from the church’s kitchen and attacked them.

“Mr. Morris, who has a concealed-carry permit for protection of his own family, protection of his parishioners, had his firearm with him that day,” McElroy explained. “When the complainant came at them with all he knew was something from the kitchen that was metallic, he did in fact pull his weapon. He acknowledged that.”

McElroy said the gun was not loaded and no shots were fired. Turner backed down but she later filed a police report which resulted in the initial felony charges against the pastor and his family.

The pastor told the judge that he and his wife will be staying together. Elders at his church have also agreed to allow him to seek employment elsewhere.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Update: Black Collar Crime: Methodist Worship Leader Stacy Digby Accused of Sexual Assault, Charges Dismissed

Bruce Gerencser 0 Comments
stacy digby

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

In 2018, Stacy Digby, a volunteer worship leader at Highfill United Methodist Church in Highfill, Arkansas, was arrested on charges of “sexual Indecency with a child and sexual assault in the first degree.” (Digby’s mother said he was the church’s worship leader. A Raw Story report says Digby was a lay leader.) Digby was also the mayor of Highfill, Arkansas. After his arrest, Digby resigned from office. According to an earlier NWA report, Digby has previously been investigated on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor. When asked about the charges levied against Digby, Highfill pastor Russ Hall said, “I would vouch for his character.”

NWA reports:

On January 8, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible inappropriate relationship between Stacy Digby and a 17-year-old girl.

Community and church members voiced their concerns about the interactions between the girl and Digby. The police report lists one such instance at a local bowling alley where the bowling alley manager and a woman saw the teen sitting on Digby’s lap.

When taken in for questioning, the 17-year-old told police she did stay the night at Digby’s home, but only once when her sister, Digby’s kids and his girlfriend were there.

The teen told police she had known Digby for six years, but she started to really hang out with him about four years ago.

On January 10, police questioned her grandmother and younger sister. The younger sister confirmed the 17-year-old and Digby met up several times in public and private. She also stated Digby and the 17-year-old started the relationship about four years ago.

The younger sister also confirmed to police the 17-year-old kept in communication with Digby through text. The two would send each other numerous photos including pictures of genitalia.

On January 24, detectives went to Digby’s parent’s house, where they believed he was hiding his computer. During the conversation, Digby’s mother said he was the worship leader at Highfill United Methodist Church and was pretty much the second person in charge besides the actual pastor himself. After obtaining a warrant, detectives seized a 500GB external hard drive from Digby’s parent’s milk barn.

On January 29, investigators interviewed an ex-girlfriend of Digby’s about the case.

The ex-girlfriend told police Digby confessed to having pictures of the 17-year-old and to having sexual intercourse since she was 12 or 13 years old.

Digby was arrested on Wednesday, March 28, and faces charges of Sexual Indecency with a Child and Sexual Assault in the First Degree.

In 2019, the charges against Digby were dismissed.

40/29 News reported at the time:

Charges against former Highfill Mayor Stacy Digby have been dropped, Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith told 40/29 News, because the victim is not cooperating in the case.

Digby resigned from office shortly before his arrest in March 2018, according to Blake Webb, Highfill Police Chief. He was charged with Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree.

In January 2018, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office announced it was investigating Digby on the possibility of an inappropriate relationship between him and a juvenile. A search warrant was executed as his house on that date.

“The wishes of the victim are always important in deciding how to proceed in a criminal case. Over the course of multiple meetings between prosecutors and the victim, she repeatedly stated her desire not to participate in the prosecution of this case,” Smith told 40/29 News.

“The victim is now an adult and able to make her own decisions. Her decision not to cooperate made the continued prosecution of this case impossible. I respect the victim’s decision and wish her the best in her future,” Smith said.

Digby’s attorney, Shane Wilkinson, told 40/29 he always thought this was the end result.

Wilkinson said what Digby was arrested for wasn’t actually a crime, and he’s glad the charge was dropped.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Update: Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Edward Williams Pleads Guilty to Having Inappropriate Relationship With a Student, Sentenced to Probation

Bruce Gerencser 1 Comment
pastor edward williams

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

In May 2021, Edward Williams, pastor of Jesus People Full of Faith Ministries in Pembroke Pines, Florida, was accused of having a romantic relationship with a seventeen-year-old girl. Williams was also a teacher and football coach at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School.

Channel 10 reported:

A high school football coach is under arrest after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Detectives said that 44-year-old Edward Malachi Williams of Miramar was romantically involved with a 17-year-old girl at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School.

According to a police report, the victim told investigators that the two were not sexually active but were waiting for her to turn 18 before going public as a couple. One of the texts she showed police from Williams said: “Baby, give me one chance, baby, baby, baby, give me one chance. I can’t believe I lost my girl. Please what if we make love one last time, it won’t be the last time, but for awhile.”

Miami-Dade Schools Police officers said that they went to the home of the 17-year-old after receiving information through an anonymous source.

They said the girl stated that although they had not been sexually intimate, they are “in love, have held hands, and kissed.” Police said both the victim and Williams denied engaging in sex.

….

Williams was located at the school on Wednesday, according to investigators, and brought to Miami-Dade Public Schools Police Department headquarters for questioning, where he was subsequently arrested.

He was released from jail late Wednesday and walked out covering his head with a shirt. He did not speak to anyone.

According to Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Williams had been employed with the district from 1999 to 2017. He returned to the district in June of 2020. School officials said he had no history of disciplinary actions. Williams has been fired, according to the district.

….

He is facing a second-degree felony charge, Offenses Against Students By Authority Figures.

In August 2021, Williams pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation.

edward williams plea

Astoundingly, Williams is still the pastor of Jesus People Full of Faith Ministries. Evidently, having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager doesn’t disqualify Williams from the ministry.

Williams’ church bio states:

Edward is committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, so when the call came for ministry, it was no hard decision. Edward’s desire to see people live their lives to the fullest in Christ made the call and commitment to Pastor in the South Florida area an easy one. Edward’s strong belief is God has blessed us to be a blessing to others.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Update: Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Michael Sperou Found Guilty a Third Time, Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison

Bruce Gerencser 1 Comment
michael sperou

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

In 2015, Michael Sperou, pastor of North Clackamas Bible Community (previously named Southeast Bible Church) in Happy Valley, Oregon, was convicted on three counts of first-degree sexual penetration of a child under twelve and sentenced to twenty years in prison. In 2019, the Oregon Supreme Court:

ordered a new trial for Sperou after concluding that witnesses had improperly referred to the accuser as a victim. The court found that the reference may have undermined Sperou’s presumption of innocence and affected his right to a fair trial.

Sperou was later convicted a second time.

Fox-12 reported:

Michael Sperou was convicted by a jury Friday on two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration.

The victim was under the age of 12 when the assaults occurred on two separate occasions between 1993 and 1996, according to investigators.

….

The district attorney’s office states the members gathered and lived among rental homes they shared and, as part of its evidence presentation, the state reported Sperou had a sexual interest in children; that he allowed minors to spend time with him in his bed; that he provided alcohol to minors; that he emotionally and financially manipulated church members; that he abused alcohol; and controlled nearly every aspect of church members lives, including how they raised their children.

Two other women testified in court that Sperou had sexually assaulted them while they were children in the church, but prosecutors said the statute of limitation has passed in those cases.

Sperou’s second conviction was also tossed on a legal technicality.

In May 2023, Sperou faced a third trial. Once again, he was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in prison. It is expected that this conviction will stick.

KATU-2 reports:

A former pastor was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison after he was found guilty on his third trial for a sex abuse case.

Michael Sperou, 72, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration back in May.

The conviction followed two previous guilty verdicts that were overturned by legal technicalities.

The sexual abuse took place back in 1988 to 1996, when Sperou was a pastor. Investigators say he sexually abused seven young girls whose families went to the church.

When the case went to trial, charges for the abuse against six of the seven survivors was outside the statute of limitations. Still, all seven women were allowed to testify.

Sperou was convicted on all counts, however, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned the convictions in 2019 after finding the use of the word “victim” by witnesses was impermissible.

The case went back to trial in 2020, and the jury delivered an 11-1 guilty verdict. Later that year, however, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that verdicts must be unanimous for serious crimes.

The third trial took place in May 2023, where he was found guilty on the two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration.

“It’s been a long and difficult road to today’s verdict for the victims in this case—all seven of them. The criminal justice system is hard on victims, and the strength and perseverance that the victim has shown through repeated trials is admirable and important,” said Senior DDA Melissa Marrero.

“It sends a message that she will not be silenced, and that abusers will be held accountable,” Marrero continued. “We’re thankful that the jury was able to see the truth, and that Ms. Clark and the other victims of Mr. Sperou remained committed to achieving justice over the near-decade that it took to get here. They are amazing women who went through the unthinkable, and their strength led to this result.”

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Jose Lopez Sentenced to 186 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Two Young Girls

Bruce Gerencser 4 Comments
pastor jose lopez

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

Jose Lopez, former volunteer at Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel and Compass Bible Church, both in Aliso Viejo, California, was sentenced to 186 years in prison for sexually abusing two young girls to whom he was related.

LA.com reports:

A retired Orange County pastor was sentenced Friday to 186 years to life in prison for sexually abusing two young girls with whom he is related.

Jose Andres Lopez, 70, of Mission Viejo, was convicted March 22 of 18 felony sexual assault charges dating as far back as 1991 through 2020. Lopez is a retired Orange County pastor, but jurors did not hear that fact during the trial because it was not deemed relevant to the allegations.

Lopez told Orange County Superior Court Judge Gary Paer that he should get a new trial because the victims did not tell the truth about him.

“Everything that was said was all hearsay as God is my witness,” Lopez said.

Paer pointed out to Lopez that the victims were “thoroughly question by both sides” in the trial “and the jury believed them.”

The judge added that their testimony was not hearsay, but evidence.

“Just because she says something under oath doesn’t mean it’s the truth,” Lopez said.

“You’re entitled to that opinion,” Paer said. “You don’t have to agree with (the convictions) and I understand there will be an appeal on this case.”

Deputy District Attorney Tara Meath said, “There’s multiple layers of evidence in this case” beyond the testimony of the victims.

After being convicted of “years of sexual abuse,” it was “outrageous” for Lopez to make those arguments, Meath said.

Paer said Lopez “violated a huge position of trust” in the case. His attacks showed “planning and sophistication,” Paer said, pointing to the defendant locking the door when he would assault one of the girls.

“He was the wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Paer said, pointing to Lopez’s relationship with the victims and his position as a religious leader.

“He work the mask of a (relative), he wore the mask of a pastor,” Paer said. “But behind the mask he was someone very dangerous.”

Lopez “forfeited your freedom” with the attacks, Paer said.

The judge ordered Lopez to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

On Aug. 21, 2020, one of the victims was finishing up school work remotely during the coronavirus pandemic at the defendant’s home when he called her up to his room, she testified.

“I went upstairs and then he pulled down my shorts I was wearing that day,” she testified. “That’s when he started (sexually assaulting her).”

Lopez had lubricant and condoms next to his bed, she testified.

“He locked the door like he always would,” she testified. “He would usually put a towel under it, but I don’t think he did that day.”

The victim was 13 at the time, but the abuse started when she was 3, Meath said.

The victim’s brother, who is about a year younger, was also in the house and when he was finishing his remote classes, the teacher asked to speak to the defendant to let him know they had worked out some technical issues in connecting virtually, Meath said. The siblings would regularly stay overnights with Lopez on Fridays through Saturdays and major holidays, Meath said.

The brother “ran up the stairs, but the door was locked, so he knocked,” Meath said.

“My teacher wants to talk to you,” the boy said.

The defendant said, “Slide the phone under the door,” Meath said.

The boy said he heard his sister in the room say something to the effect, “Are you done? Is it in?” Meath said.

Then the boy heard “noise he describes as a rhythm that sounded like having sex,” Meath said. “He felt very uncomfortable.”

Later, the victim called her brother upstairs to her room and she was crying as she told him what was happening, Meath said. The next day, the brother told his mother and the tearful victim confirmed it, the prosecutor said.

When investigators spoke with the girl, she said, “He started touching me since I was 3 years old,” according to Meath.

The girl said the alleged abuse “progressed in stages,” Meath said.

“This basically took place every time he had an opportunity,” Meath said. “It occurred every Friday.”

When deputies began executing a search warrant, the victim told them where they could find a sex toy in his room and the color of the towel it was wrapped in, Meath said.

“It was exactly where she said it was,” Meath said.

During the investigation, deputies “stumbled on a police report” out of Massachusetts from a 12-year-old who said the defendant had molested her for years, Meath said.

Lopez is also related to that victim, who moved out of state with her mother when she was 7, Meath said. She would return to spend summers with Lopez for years, and she said the abuse began when she was 5, Meath said. The accuser is about 35 or 36 years old now, she said.

Lopez volunteered as a pastor at Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel in Aliso Viejo between 2003 and 2005, according to sheriff’s officials. He also volunteered at Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo between 2012 and 2019, according to sheriff’s officials.

Compass Church released the following statement:

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has announced that a member of our church was arrested on suspicion of the abuse of a child who “was known” to him. The press release from the Sheriff’s Department states he has “volunteered at Compass Bible Church” for the past eight years, and later in the release it states he has had “continued access and contact with children.” It should be clarified that this man was not volunteering with kids in children’s ministries at our church, nor was he given access to or had any contact with the children in our kid’s ministry.

This man has never served as a pastor at our church nor has he been on our staff. He served as a volunteer on a team of men that kept order in the parking lot. Whatever “access and contact” the Sheriff’s Department had in view, it was not at our church.

Our senior pastor met with the pastors and our kid’s ministry leaders today to investigate and confirm that this person has had no contact or involvement with our children. We have also had no complaints and nothing has raised suspicion while he has been on our campus or involved with any of our congregants.

We hold the protection of our children in the highest regard. We work to professionally investigate the backgrounds of any who would volunteer to work with our children. And of course, we are ready and willing to fully cooperate with any investigation from our local authorities.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Bruce Gerencser